Sunday, July 24, 2016

Glasnow exits early, but Pirates rally to beat Phillies 7-4

Pittsburgh Pirates starter Tyler Glasnow, right, delivers a pitch that hit Philadelphia Phillies' Cameron Rupp, left, on the helmet in the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, July 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates can't feel all that excited about their victory Saturday because of an injury to their top pitching prospect.

Glasnow exited his second major league start in the fourth. The rookie right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis earlier in the day and allowed two runs (one earned) and four hits in three-plus innings. The 6-foot-8 22-year-old is one of the best pitching prospects in baseball.

Manager Clint Hurdle said he had "no sense at all" of the severity of the injury, but Glasnow did not seem overly concerned.

"He didn't notice or tell us or share anything with us until just visually we saw him moving his arm around like it was uncomfortable," Hurdle said. "We went out and talked to him and removed him."

"It's a long year and you're always going to have things come up," Glasnow said. "It was kind of a progression, I guess, inning by inning got a little worse and they felt like it was time for me to come out."

Polanco's hit put the Pirates ahead 4-3 and chased starter Aaron Nola. Freese's hit off Severino Gonzalez pushed the lead to three runs, and Francisco Cervelli capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to help Pittsburgh win for the fourth time in six games.

Cervelli went 2 for 3 and was the only Pirates player with multiple hits -- the Phillies outhit Pittsburgh 12-8. Starling Marte and Jordy Mercer also drove in runs.

Juan Nicasio (8-6) allowed one run in two innings in relief of Glasnow. Nicasio tied left-handers Jeff Locke and Jon Niese for the team lead in wins, though all three are now pitching out of the bullpen after beginning the season in the starting rotation.

When Glasnow left, the score was tied 2-2 and the Phillies had runners on first and second with none out, but Nicasio escaped the jam unscathed.

"Nicasio came in and did exactly what we needed him to," second baseman Josh Harrison said. "At the end of the day, it gave us time to keep plugging away and we got to the fifth inning and were able to come up with a big inning."

Glasnow also hit two batters, including catcher Cameron Rupp, who left the game in the third inning after being struck in the left ear flap of his helmet. Rupp did not display any concussion symptoms but will be re-examined Sunday as part of Major League Baseball's protocol for head injuries.

Nola (5-9) was tagged for six runs and six hits in four-plus innings with five strikeouts and two walks. That was a step backward from his last start when he pitched six shutout innings against the Miami Marlins on the heels of giving up 30 combined runs in his previous five outings.

"When he's at his best, he has control of all his pitches," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's lost his control and he needs to a find a way to get it back."

Odubel Herrera had his second straight three-hit game for the Phillies after going 4 for 41 in his previous 11 games.

Phillies: 3B Maikel Franco (sore left wrist) sat out after being hit by a pitch in the first inning of Friday night's 4-0 win. Franco is considered day-to-day.

Pirates: RHP Ryan Vogelsong (facial fractures) played catch before the game after leaving his rehab start Wednesday with Indianapolis after four innings because of a stiff neck.

ROSTER MOVES

In addition to Glasnow, C Elias Diaz was recalled from Indianapolis while RHP AJ Schugel was optioned to the same club. C Eric Fryer was placed on the paternity list after his wife gave birth to twins -- a boy and a girl -- on Saturday.

UP NEXT

Phillies: RHP Vince Velasquez (8-2, 3.15 ERA) will start Sunday in the finale of the three-game series. He is 3-0 with a 2.20 ERA in six starts since his last loss May 29.

Pirates: RHP Jameson Taillon (2-1, 3.44) has allowed one run in six innings in each of his last two starts.